Islanders suspend Visnovsky

Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - The New York Islanders have suspended Lubomir
Visnovsky after the defenseman failed to report to the club following the
lockout.

Visnovsky had been playing in the Kontinental Hockey League during the work
stoppage and wanted to continue with Slovan Bratislava for the remainder of
the 2012-13 season. The KHL and NHL, however, have an agreement that states a
player under contract in the NHL must return to North America once the lockout
was lifted.

The Islanders acquired Visnovsky in a trade with Anaheim last June, but the
defenseman filed a grievance with NHLPA in an effort to have the deal voided
based on a no-trade clause within his contract. He had waived the clause when
the Ducks acquired him from Edmonton in 2010.

Just days before the start of the lockout, however, an arbitrator ruled that
the 36-year-old veteran should remain with the Islanders.